While blogging has fallen by the wayside since our last Christmas greeting, painting hasn’t. I delivered two paintings of young lasses this spring.
When I painted Anna I had two images from which to chose. Her grandma provided no specific request — just a response to my earlier query suggesting it might be nice if one day I found Anna looking back from my easel. I just had to decide which one. One of my fortes is the uncanny skill of laboring over decisions only to subsequently decide I made the wrong one. While I was pleased with the outcome of “Anna in the Garden,” this proved to be one of those instances.
Anna's Gift 12x12 inches Alkyd on Canvas
The revelation occurred one day while browsing through my files of potential painting subjects (icons in a computer folder bearing the provocative title, “people”). There I bumped into the rejected image. Drat. Why hadn’t I chosen that one? I like it even better. Then I remembered. Anna’s grandma and grandpa have both a summer and a winter home. Of course! They need a painting for each dwelling.
Katie happily arrived as my first officially commissioned portrait. As is typical for me — whose marketing skills rival that of a sloe-eyed gerbil — we never talked about price. No problem. She would be fun to paint — although the image was a bit dark and needed a different background.
Katie 12x12 inches Alkyd on Canvas
Photoshop rescued the lighting problem and a conversation with her grandma, the background. The original photo was taken on the deck of a Hawaii vacation so, naturally, it needed a tropical background — certainly not the Greenland icecap. Thus I selected a nice generic Hawaiian beach setting and viola, Katie could be delivered.
When I painted Anna I had two images from which to chose. Her grandma provided no specific request — just a response to my earlier query suggesting it might be nice if one day I found Anna looking back from my easel. I just had to decide which one. One of my fortes is the uncanny skill of laboring over decisions only to subsequently decide I made the wrong one. While I was pleased with the outcome of “Anna in the Garden,” this proved to be one of those instances.
Anna's Gift 12x12 inches Alkyd on Canvas
The revelation occurred one day while browsing through my files of potential painting subjects (icons in a computer folder bearing the provocative title, “people”). There I bumped into the rejected image. Drat. Why hadn’t I chosen that one? I like it even better. Then I remembered. Anna’s grandma and grandpa have both a summer and a winter home. Of course! They need a painting for each dwelling.
Katie happily arrived as my first officially commissioned portrait. As is typical for me — whose marketing skills rival that of a sloe-eyed gerbil — we never talked about price. No problem. She would be fun to paint — although the image was a bit dark and needed a different background.
Photoshop rescued the lighting problem and a conversation with her grandma, the background. The original photo was taken on the deck of a Hawaii vacation so, naturally, it needed a tropical background — certainly not the Greenland icecap. Thus I selected a nice generic Hawaiian beach setting and viola, Katie could be delivered.
Love them! I'm sure the grandmas are delighted!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work with an awesome subject to paint!
ReplyDelete